Tag Archives: baby names

What the hell is up with people naming their kids these days? While i understand the urge to give your child a moniker that is unique and special, i think people are just going overboard without any thought to how the name will affect their children in life.

What’s in a name?

A name is meant to honor someone important, carry on traditions, or to relay characteristics you hope your child to have. A name will follow you your whole life. In cases of job applications, it is often the first clue a perspective employer will have about your identity. Judgements are made based on names alone. In job related cases, getting the first interview/callback is the first step to securing a position in an organization. Unfortunately, racism and bias exist. A field study was conducted in the United States in 2010 to examine this trend. Results showed that applicants with white-sounding names are 50 percent more likely to get called for an initial interview than applicants with ethnic sounding names. So names like Ben or Amy have a 50% more chance of a call for an interview, than a Shaniqua, or Diago etc. even though there is no way to determine race by name.

If this is true, then can you imagine the case where someone names their child after a t.v, movie, or book character, or something similar. Who is more likely to get a call back? Tom or Katniss?

Celebrities are on a whole other level of “out there” Now you might say, “why the hell would a child of a celebrity need a job” Or “they can get whatever job they want because of who their parents are”. While that may be true, some stars fall from grace and lose their money….and even if they don’t, they should try not to be assholes when naming their kids. Here’s an example of some celebrities who gave their kid’s odd names: (some were from Cracked.com)

Nicolas Cage. He named his son Kal-El. (yup, superman)

Jason Lee (my name is Earl/Mallrats) named his son Pilot Inspektor

David Duchovney & Tea Leoni named their kid “Kyd”

Sylvestor Stallone named his child Sage Moonblood

Shannyn Sossamon named her child Audio Science (they looked up names from the dictionary)

Frank Zappa has kids named Moon Unit, Dweezil and Diva Thin Muffin

Penn Gillette has a daughter named Moxie Crimefighter

Actor Rob Morrow named his child Tu…Yes Tu Morrow, god kill me now!

Jermaine Jackson named his son “Jermajesty”

Alicia Silverstone named her son Bear Blu

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian named their daughter North…as in North West

Bob Geldof has a daughter named Pixie, and an adopted daughter named Tiger Lilly (is the daughter of inxs frontman michael Hutchence)